Wardak investors struggling with electricity shortage

MAIDAN SHAHR (Pajhwok): Investors in central Maidan Wardak province are complaining about lack of electricity and want the government to address the problem.

Eng Noorullah, chief engineer at an oxygen producing factory in Kotal area of Maidan Shahr, the provincial capital, told Pajhwok Afghan News that due to the lack of electricity, their work had been disrupted and they could not meet the expenses.

He said: “Lack of electricity has a very negative effect on our work because high consumption of generator electricity is expensive and we cannot afford it.”

He urged the government to ensure smooth supply of electricity to industries and prevent power outages, otherwise they had to wind up their businesses.

Mohib Rahman, an engineer with the Basir Ahmadzai Road construction company, said: “Due to the lack of government electricity, our work is often delayed because electricity requirement increases in winter.”

He said if the government invested in electricity generation in the country, this problem would be addressed forever.

He added: “We don’t avail electricity for two hours a day. We use private electricity which has more cost than benefit.” He asked the government to solve this problem in order to encourage investors.

Maulvi Abdul Haq Talha, electricity department director, said the problem of electricity distribution was a nationwide issue and the government was striving to resolve it.

He said: “In the next year, the problem of electricity shortage would be mostly solved because more hydropower dams would be built in the country.”

He added consumption of electricity increased in winter season so its price had also surged.

sa/ma